Current Week: 3-1 (69-23 - GB (+21.5))
Next Week: 4 @ Wilmington Iron Pigs, 3 vs Annapolis Admirals
Power Ranking: 1
Fan Interest: 89
Owners Mood: Ecstatic
Runs Scored: 502 (2nd)
Avg: .280 (2nd)
HR: 119 (1st)
SB: 94 (1st)
Runs Against: 307 (1st)
Starters ERA: 3.08 (1st)
Pen ERA: 3.29 (1st)
Def Eff: .714 (1st)
** All Star Break **
Game 89: Newark 3, Norfolk 4
Vaughan Griffith (10-5) went 6.2 innings, allowing 5 hits and 3 runs. He struck out 7 and gave up 2 HR's. Dalton Whitaker threw a shakey 9th for the save (26). Ed Duke and Jeff Lewis each had 2 hits and Augusto Rodriguez drove in 2. The Cav's had 9 total hits and left 7 men on.
Game 90: Newark 1, Norfolk 10
Miguel Contreras (7-2) took home the W with 7 innings of 3 hit ball. He allowed 1 unearned run and struck out 6. Kent Davis and Sergio Gavlez each had 3 hits and Ed Duke added 2 hits and 3 RBI's. On the day the Cav's had 11 hits and left 5 men on.
Game 91: Newark 2, Norfolk 6
Matt Hollis (16-2) brought his A-game today, allowing 4 hits and 2 runs, and striking out a record 16. The offense brought the power game with Ramon Granados (7), Jeff Lewis (12), King Brock (14) and Francisco Reyes (28) all going deep. Brock lead the way with 3 RBI's. The Cav's had 7 total hits, and left only 4 on.
A Record Falls:
Matt Hollis set a DelMarVa League Baseball record for most strikeouts in a game. He broke the MarVa Conference record of 14, set last year by Tommy Rutledge, as well as breaking the All-Time record, which he set in 2018 for the New Castle Colonials, when he struck out 15.
"He made a lot of good pitches out there," the Newark manager said. "He made some of our guys look bad. We didn't help matters by swinging at everything, but we really have to give him credit -- he didn't make many mistakes."
Game 92: Newark 4, Norfolk 2
Augusto Ramirez (6-3) went 5.1 innings, allowing 9 hits and 4 runs (3 ER), while striking out 4. The offense was held at bay, managing only 6 hits, with Jeff Lewis and Francisco Reyes collecting 2 each. Sergo Galvez (6) and Reyes (29) both hit solo HR's. Total of 6 hits and 6 men left on.
Team News: Jeff Lewis extended his hit streak to 25 games with 2-4 performance.
League News:- All-Star Andres Salinas was injured on the final day before the off-day and will miss the next two months with a herniated disc. Salinas is hitting .295-19-60 on the season.
- Hermino Bovay of the Ellicott City Express extended his hit streak to 20 games with a 1-5 performance against the Lewes Braves
Players of the Week:
Delaware: Jose Rodriguez (Christiana Blue Hens) 9-16, 2 HR's, 6 RBI's
MarVa: Miguel Ruiz (Ocean City Tourists) 10-16, 4 HR's, 11 RBI's
Power Rankings:
1) Norfolk Cavaliers (138.0)
2) New Castle Colonials (122.5)
3) Ocean City Tourists (115.9)
4) Dover Generals (110.9)
5) Wilmington Iron Pigs (106.9)
GM Notes:
I tried to pull off a deal today for Tommy Rutledge a 25-year old top of the line pitcher. But the Barons were just asking for way too much. Along with Rutledge, who is signed for 2 more years, I would of received back-up short-stop, for salary reasons, and sent Baltimore Kent Davis, Ed Duke, Cody Johnson and either Aurturo Ramirez or Vaughan Griffith. The slumping Davis isn't helping his trade value at all. A career .337 hitter, Davis is only hitting .284 this season. Only 11 more days to go till the trade deadline is upon us. I did "shop around" Kent Davis, but no one is willing to go one-for-one. Davis is signed for 6 more years, yes this was a crazy contract but when I signed him to 10 years he hadn't hit under .350 and collected 250 hits for 3 straight years. Maybe he will bounce back... I may have to revisit this deal before the end of July. If I am bringing back a #2/3 pitcher, and I am trading away to contract burdens, maybe giving up my #3 will work. I do have 2 other guys on the farm that will be big-league ready next season. Something to sleep on... I may have to go back to the Barons and discuss this deal, I think I could give up Ramirez eventhough he is our first #1 draft pick and sort of "bonded" to me and the team. I enjoy having those type of guys around. But my guess is before too long he will be too costly and his 7 stamina will catch up to him, not to mention his fragile injury rating. I just feel I should get a little more back in return, draft pick? Prospect? Hmm...
The talks with the Barons have heated up some and here is the latest deal:
Sending to Baltimore:
Kent Davis: Current Salary: $10,560,000, Signed for 5 more seasons @ $10,560,000 (30 yrs old)
Ed Duke: Current Salary: $6,960,000, Arbitration 2021, est: $8,800,000 (27 yrs old)
Arturo Ramriez: Current Salary: $490,000, Arbitration 2021, est $6,875,000 (25 yrs old)
Cody Johnson: Current Salary: $950,000 / Free Agent End of Season
Rick Kelly: Current Salary: $2,030,000 / Free Agent End of Season
Return from Baltimore:
Tommy Rutledge: Current Salary: $8,500,000, Signed for 2 more years $9.5M & $10M (26 yrs old)
Pedro Morin: Current Salary: $9,500,000 / Free Agent End of Season (35 yrs old)
Gariel Santos: Current Salary: $490,000 / Not yet eligible for Arb (25 yrs old)
Domingo Cardoza: Minor Leauge, #29 Prospect in DBL
2nd-Round Draft Pick in 2021
Then in the off-season if I move Francisco Reyes, I will have some kind of budget to work with. Being strapped and $12 million in the hole has made it hard to move pieces here and there. I will still be strapped this year, but in the end I think it could work out. Its a huge deal to make mid-season one that will boost the Barons and help us financially... The Barons GM is thinking about it... so am I. I still have some time to say "no". Maybe wait till the off-season to pull of a huge deal, why ruin a good thing? Its not every day you can get a #2 starter and a top prospect... Maybe I should wait...